Wrench



(No Model.)

.E. HENWOOD.

' WRENCH No. 603,530. Patented May 3, 1898.

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WITNESSES 7 UNITED STATES PATENT FFICE.

EDWIN HENWOOD, OF HERMANSVILLE, MICHIGAN.

WRENCH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 603,530, dated May 3, 1898.

Application filed July '7, 1897. Serial No. 648,701. (No model.)

T at whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWIN HENwooD, of l-Iermansville, in the county of Menominee and State of Michigan, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Wrenches, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The object of my invention is to construct a wrench in a very simple yet durable and economic manner and so that the movable jaw may be quickly adjusted to and from the fixed jaw and held in its adjusted position through the medium of a peculiar form of grip, which will have the functions of a wedge and will cling to the shank of the wrench all the more tenaciously as more pressure is brought to bear upon the jaw it is intended to hold in position.

The invention consists in the novel construction and combination of the several parts, as will be hereinafter fully set forth;

and pointed out in the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a pipe-wrench constructed in accordance with my invention, a portion of the sliding jaw and its appendages being in section. Fig. 2 is a rear elevation of the wrench shown in Fig. 1, and Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the wrench adapted for use as a monkey-wrench.

The shank A of the wrench is preferably rectangular in cross-section and at its upper end is provided with a jaw B, which may be curved and toothed, as shown in Fig. 1, to hold a pipe, or it may be provided with a plain smooth under surface, as shown in Fig. 3, for engagement with a nut. The sliding jaw O in the form of the wrench shown in Fig. 1 is toothed upon its upper face and in the form shown in Fig. 3 is plain upon its upper. face. The lower or sliding jaw O in both forms of the wrench is provided with a rear strap eX- tension of such dimensions as to provide an inner chamber of greater length in a forward and rearward direction than the corresponding width of the shank to permit the said jaw to have a rocking or swinging movement, and below the upper extension-strap 10. a second and longer extension-strap 11 is provided, connected with the lower jaw at the front by an upright 12. The upright 12 is provided upon its inner face, within the chamber formed. by the lower strap 11, with a spur 13, engaging the front portion of the shank of the wrench and serving as a fulcrum for the sliding jaw O and as a gripping-surface against which the shank of the fixed jaw is clamped. In the rear portion of the shank of the wrench a grip-lever D is located. The grip-lever consists of a head 14, pivoted bya pin 15 in the chamber of the lower strap 11 at the rear of the shank. The said head 14 of the grip-lever is given an angular formation 16 where the said head is to engage with the back of the shank A. Consequently the head 14 may have more or less of an oval shape. The body 14 of the grip-lever is inclined from the head downward and forward, so that when the point 16 of the head 14 of the lever is in engagement with the shank the point 15 on the body of the lever will likewise be brought sharp contact-point of the head of the lever will be carried from an engagement with the shank of the wrench, and the lower jaw 0 may be freely slid up or down the shank until the proper adjustment has been obtained between the two jaws. The adjustment having been found, the shank or handle of the griplever is carried forwardly, which will bring the sharp contact-point of the head in engagement with the rear edge of the shank. The engagement of the head of the grip-lever with the shank will first cause a rocking or swinging movement of the sliding jaw C, said jaw turning upon the spur 13, and upon further movement of the said lever in the same direction thejaw will be locked in fixed position on the shank. It is evident the more pressure that the lower jaw is subjected to the greater will be the binding contact between the head of the grip-lever and the shank A and the shank and the spur 13. While the spur 13 is preferably employed, it is not absolutely necessary, since the head of the lever when carried to a locking engagement with the shank will effectually hold the lower jaw wherever it may have been adjusted.

I do not confine myself to the application of the gripping device to a wrench, as the same device may be employed in connection with various tools and other articles, such as floorclamps, Vises, and safety elevatorclutches.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. A wrench, comprisingafixed jaw having a plain rectangular shank, a sliding jaw loosely fitting upon the said shank and provided with a spur engaging the said shank, said spur serving both as a fulcrum and a gripping-surface for the jaw, and a grip-lever mounted in the sliding jaw in alinelnent with the said spur and provided with an angular head for engagement with said shank, whereby the sliding jaw will be first rocked and then'locked to the shank, substantially as described.

2. A wrench, consisting of a fixed jaw having a plain rectangular shank, a sliding jaw provided with spaced strap extensions, through which the shank of the fixed jaw loosely extends,the portion of the jaw connecting the said strap extensions being provided within the rear strap extension with a spur, which serves both as a fulcrumand grippingsurface for said sliding jaw, and a grip-lever pivoted in the rear strap extension in alinement-with the said spur and provided with an angular head forming a sharp contactpoint for engagement with the shank of the fixed jaw, substantially as herein shown and described.

EDWIN HENWOOD.

Witnesses:

EDWIN P. RADFORD, WILLIAM H. DANIELS. 

